Biological Influences on Criminal Behavior

by Gail S. Anderson

In reviewing introductory texts available to criminologists, one is left with the impression that biological factors are irrelevant to the formulation of criminal behavior. Where biology is mentioned at all, it receives infinitesimal coverage. This dearth of attention could at one time be blamed on shoddy research and the legitimate fear that evidence gathered along this path would be used to support eugenics extremists. However, in the past 20 years, tremendously valuable work has been accomplished that legitimately correlates biological factors such as genetics, biochemistry, diet, and brain disease to criminal behavior. Biological Influences on Criminal Behavior fundamentally questions the way most criminologists attempt to explain, let alone ameliorate the problem of human criminal behavior. Written by Gail Anderson, a highly respected expert in forensics, who also brings a much-needed biological background to the task, this resource champions contemporary biological theory by introducing criminologists to areas of research they might not otherwise encounter. Dr. Anderson discusses basic biological concepts such as natural selection and evolution in relation to behavior, and considers genetic factors including patterns of inheritance, sex-linked traits, and propensities toward aggression. She explores studies on hormonal effects, as well as brain chemistry, and delves deeply into organic brain dysfunction. She also looks at investigations into fetal conditions and birth-related difficulties, as well as research on nutrition and food allergies. While it is steeped in scientific research, the material is presented in a way that does not require a scientific background. The author does not suggest that biology plays the major role in criminal behavior; however, her carefully researched work does prove that we can gain a far deeper and more useful understanding when we objectively assess all of the factors involved. A professor of forensic entomology in the School of Criminology at Simon Fraser University, Gail S. Anderson has a Ph.D. in medical and veterinary entomology. She serves as a forensics consultant to the RCMP and city police across Canada. Among her many accolades, she was listed in TIME magazine as one of top five innovators worldwide in criminal justice and recently received the Derome Award from the Canadian Society of Forensic Sciences.

336 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[Zachary Teskey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing. I read it for my Biological Explanations of Crime course at SFU. One of the best textbooks I read during my undergrad; the examples and explanations provided alongside the evidence assist the reader in drawing clear conclusions from the research conducted within the field.

The discussions within this book brings biology from the shadows by defining what science is and isn’t. This text also does well as it cautions that biological predispositions do not mean the individual is destined to behave in the expected manner.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and learned a lot from it. I would recommend this to people who are interested in learning about biological explanations of crime from a critical and unbiased standpoint. Dr. Anderson is a fantastic individual to learn from, and this textbook demonstrates this clearly.

[Chris M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an interesting read. I came across this one by chance, and it analyzes factors that contribute to criminal behavior through the lenses of biology, genetics, physiology, psychology and neuroscience. This book came out in 2006/7, but a lot of topics are relevant today such as the relationship between concussions and criminal behavior. There was also a section about how poor blood sugar control can be a risk factor for criminal behavior. This was discussed in Robert Sapolsky's book "Determined" which came out in 2023 or so, but it's interesting to see that the research existed but it wasn't yet mainstream knowledge.